‘We can do better’

Earlier, we talked about Elizabeth Warren’s new ad in Massachusetts, which stresses the importance of investing in American infrastructure. What I didn’t realize is how much the right hates this particular spot.

In the ad, the Democratic Senate hopeful notes, “Why aren’t we rebuilding America? Our competitors are putting people to work, building the future. China invests 9 percent of its GDP in infrastructure. America, we’re at just 2.4 percent. We can do better.”

I thought this was self-evidently sensible. Alas, I didn’t realize Fox would soon run a headline that read, “Elizabeth Warren Praises Communist China.” Indeed, Matt Gertz noted today that Fox News’ on-air personalities, Glenn Beck, and a series of right-wing blogs have all run with this, using the line as “proof” that Warren “is sympathetic to communism.”

I know some of you have doubts, but this isn’t a parody or an attempt to make conservatives appear ridiculous. They’ve actually said these things, apparently with sincerity.

For the record, Gertz flagged a recent speech Newt Gingrich delivered in which he said, “You cannot compete with China in the long run if you have an inferior infrastructure. You’ve got to move to a twenty first century model. That means you’ve got to be – you’ve got to be technologically smart and you have to make investments.”

Obviously, by the standards of conservative media, Gingrich is a communist, too.

I mean, really. Is this what’s become of our public discourse? American candidates for public office who want to compete with China, ensuring that the United States stays on top, are necessarily suspected as communist sympathizers?